Croatia – Marine Conservation in Split

Volunteers will stay in the beautiful coastal town of Omiš. It is located 25km south of Split, the second largest city in Croatia. Omiš is a small town filled with culture and traditional activities during the summer. It used to be a pirate town during the Middle Age and it’s now a very popular destination for families and fans of adventure sports. We encourage volunteers to explore these tours and excursions in their time off. There’s so much to see and do! There are hiking spots, zipline, rafting and kayaking tours, rock climbing and canyoning and so much more! In addition, the beautiful islands make for a magical day-trip in the summer! The local team will be sure to give you the best tips on places to visit.

If you think of the Croatian coast, chances are you’ll picture sparkling clear Mediterranean waters, beaches full of swimmers and an abundance of sea life. While this is often the case, it still requires plenty of work of dedicated marine conservationists to keep the water clean and reduce sea pollution. The primary goal is to clean and protect as much of the sea area as possible.

Volunteers are involved in restoring and maintaining the natural state of the marine ecosystem of the Dalmatian region and the wider Adriatic Sea. Volunteers will learn and use scuba diving skills to get into the water and make a real difference with ocean clean-ups and other activities, to help the natural ecosystem remain as pristine as possible. Programs like this are crucial to ensure the long-term stability of the ecosystem for generations to come, volunteers can have a massive impact on the area!

Volunteers will work for approximately 4-6 hours during the mornings and afternoons, sometimes more, depending on the work and location where the dive takes place. The principal goal is to take as much trash as possible, especially plastic and remove it from the water. Foremost, volunteers need to feel safe and comfortable underwater, an instructor will lead diving lessons to ensure all volunteers are safe when conducting their volunteer work. Constant local support will be provided to make sure any issues for volunteers are taken care of!

Volunteer duties include:

• Restore and maintain the health of the ecosystem
• Participate in ocean cleanups
• Collect data on different areas of the ecosystem
• Help educate others on issues surrounding the ecosystem in the Dalmatian region
• Collect waste from the surrounding areas and dispose of them efficiently.

Note: Travel time from the volunteer accommodation to the project site in Omiš is around 30-45 minutes.

Weekly Diving Plan:

Internet: Wi-Fi is included.

Laundry: Laundry can be arranged with the hostel staff for an extra fee.

Accommodations: Volunteers will stay in a sustainable and social hostel in Omiš, walking distance from the volunteer program. Accommodation is dorm-style with 4 to 8 people per room, mixed gender. There is an option to upgrade to a private or double room for an extra fee, based on availability.

Food: Three meals are provided each day. Special diets might be available on request (e.g. vegetarian, vegan, etc).

• Minimum 18 years old
• Basic level of English
• Criminal background check
• No serious medical issues which would prohibit diving activities

We want volunteers to know the natural and cultural surroundings and will provide you with helpful tips and tricks that will help discover Split and Croatia like a local! The shifts will last between 3 and 5 hours per day and take place either in the morning, in the afternoon, or in the evening (depending on the program), which will leave you with plenty of free time to go explore, take a stroll around the surroundings, catch the most important sites, interact with the locals or relax, and of course, weekends off as well! Popular travel options:

• The historic city of Split and a visit to Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO heritage site
• City of Dubrovnik
• National park Plitvice
• National park Krka
• Capital city of  Zagreb.
• During the summer is certainly worth visiting one of 1000 islands in Croatia.

Organized tours can also be arranged for an extra fee.